Tuesday 17 November 2020

Sad coat update

I have sad news. Sad and rather mortifying news. My much-loved green coat, the same one I proudly blogged about only a month ago, may need to be discarded. It seems my confidence in my repairs was rather misplaced. I wore it in Cornwall a couple of weeks ago and two things happened. One, I got completely soaked through. Two, the zip went again. Trying to climb out of a sodden waxed jacket which has all the flexibility of a rusted suit of armour is no easy task, especially for someone as, erm, lithe as me. I needed external help. It was easy enough to fix the zip again once I was back home, but it has since happened again and I am now getting a bit fed up with it. I could send it off to have a new zip fitted, and I expect the holes could be sewn up and the whole thing rewaxed at the same time, but that would likely cost a fair bit. It does not seem sensible to spend money on a ripped and distinctly leaky coat from the early nineties. In other words maybe it has had its day and it is time for a new coat? Thirty years is a pretty distinguished age for a piece of clothing and perhaps I shouldn't feel so bad about wastage. Money that I might spend on repairs could go towards a new coat - if I could find a new one with the same quality of manufacturing to last another thirty years (is this even possible in 2020?) it might see me out! I could pass it down to the next generation like a nice watch!

On the other hand I could forgo repairs and expense and just persist with it despite the obvious flaws, namely that it won't protect me from wet weather and if its cold I can't do it up without risking getting stuck in it. I suppose if it is dry and mild I could just wear it without the zip, leaving it open or just using the poppers, but there would be plenty of days where that just wouldn't be viable. In other words I'd still be without a functional piece of outerwear that I could turn to no matter the conditions. And that bothers me enough to seriously consider whether now is actually the time to finally throw in the towel and invest in a new wax jacket for the next few decades.

I don't want a new Barbour. Everyone has one of those and from what I've read the new ones simply don't last very long. £250 on a coat that might be in shreds in five years doesn't seem to me to be a great investment. Alternatively I could buy a second hand one for much less, but that risks having the same issues as my current one and might also come with the additional bonus of strong dog aromas. I've found an alternative brand called Belstaff which seems a step up from Barbour but they all look rather military or biker, neither of which is a look I'm that keen on cultivating. Other than these two companies there just doesn't seem to be much else out there in a reasonable price bracket. Maybe I need to start looking in the unreasonable bracket? I've seen a few that look very nice indeed but with prices to make a grown man weep. Then again when you divide by thirty....

14 comments:

  1. Mate you live in London, get a long-sleeved t-shirt for both the days the temperatures fall below zero...

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    1. Haha yes! Very true. Like being on Shetland in October wrapped up in about eight layers and walking past kids in T-shirts playing footie in the street.

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  2. Ha, what Alan said. Also, you've honoured and cherished that coat for far longer than many marriages last. You (presumably!) wouldn't trade in your good lady at the first sign of wear and tear? Fix it, mend it, love it another 30 years, be that fashion trend-setter! :)

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    1. Need to be very careful what I write here re wear and tear, but I definitely intend to love her for another 30 years.

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  3. Worn a Country Innovations ventile coat for the last 10 years - still wind and waterproof, no rips despite trying.. A little faded and it is heavy - and green. Initial cost £300 but worth it.

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    1. The trouble is I don't want the classic "UK birder" look. You know those photos of twitches you see which are basically a sea of identically green-clad old duffers...

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    2. I should have thought of that at the time ------. "Old Duffer" is a bit cutting but generally I avoid the crowds so blend nicely into the background. Better than the "camo" brigade anyway!

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    3. Ha! I am easily beginning to approach old duffer territory if not in actual age definitely in outlook.

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  4. Belstaff is/was the jacket for motorcyclist and certainly lasts I have a Regetta which is OK with plenty of pockets

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    1. I think I have found the jacket for 2050. Watch this space.

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  5. I feel your pain once I have so much history with something it's so hard to replace and nothing measures up...I would hang onto the old one for doing yard work, and good luck with finding a replacement...I have an old plaid robe that I've repaired many times and it still is my go to robe!

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    1. You are right. I need a new coat, but I cannot simply throw away the old one. I am sure it has a future, just less of one.

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  6. I worked out today that my gloves are 27 years old! And still going strong tho a bit worn in places.

    Defo think you should go for the biker look - I think you could pull it off!

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